Stair-carpet retainer.



D. W. SHIEK.

STAIR CARPET RETAINER.

APPLICATION FILED 1110.19, 1912.

1,1 06,320. Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

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Yaw-ima THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PIIOTOLI'I'HO. WASHINGTON, l)v C.

D. W. SHIBK.

STAIR CARPET RETAINER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19, 1912.

1,106,320, Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

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40 7/.- J W Z r UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

DANIEL.W. SHIEK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STAIR-CARPET RETAINER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL W. SI-IIEK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Stair-Carpet Retainers,of which the following is a description.

My invention belongs to that general class of devices adapted forsecuring carpets in position, and relates particularly to a stair carpetretainer or fastening.

Stair carpets, as a rule, are more or less difficult to lay and securein position, or to take up, the most common way of securing them beingby the use of tacks. If the stairs are of wood the tacks mar the same,and if the carpet is relaid very many times, the treads are covered withtack holes. In the case of marble, stone, or like stairs, if tacks orsimilar fasteners are used, suitable strips or plugs must be inserted orinlaid to afford attachment for the tacks. This is extremely expensive,and often very unsightly and undesirable. When the stair carpet sosecured is removed, considerable time and care is required in order notto mar or injure the stairs or injure the carpet. The device hereindescribed is designed to overcome all of the disadvantages arising fromthe use of tacks or other fasteners.

The invention has among its objects the production of a device of thekind described that is simple, convenient, efficient, attractive, andsatisfactory, and which may be manufactured at comparatively small cost.

Among its other objects is the production of a fastener or retainer,applicable on stairs of wood, marble, or other material, and that may beeasily applied or removed, and without defacing or injuring the stairsor carpet.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangementand combination of parts herein shown and described, and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts, Figure 1 is a front elevation of several stairs andcarpet, showing one form of the device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is asectional view of the stairs and attend elevation of the device andcarpet. Fig. 3 is a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 19, 1912.

Patented Aug. 4:, 1914. Serial No. 715,798.

lar View of a modified arrangement. Fig. 8

1s a similar view of a portion of a retainer used with a pad. Fig. 9 isa front elevation of several stairs and carpet, showing a modifiedretainer. Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the stairs and end elevation ofthe retainer and carpet. Figs. 11 and 12 are similar-views of stillanother construction. Fig. 13 is a front elevation of a portion of amodified device. Fig. 14.- is a perspective view of a portion of a stairand carpet, showing an additional attachment, and Fig. 15 is a frontelevation of a portion of another modified construction and attachment.

The present invention broadly consists of a member adapted to lie infront of the carpet, in the corner, at the juncture of the tread andriser, to maintain the carpet in position at that point. The same isprovided with suitable means for contacting in substantially the samemanner, and with thesame results, and are more or less similar inconstruction.

In all the figures, 1 represents the stair tread of wood, marble, stone,iron or other material, and 2 the riser, the stair carpet 3 extendingover the stairs in the usual manner. The retainer shown in Fins. 1, 2and 3, there being one for each step or tread, consists of a bar or rod4 extended at each end as at 5, 6. the bar being essentially substantially resilient or yielding. In securing the carpet in position,the part 4 is placed proximate the juncture of the tread and riser atsubstantially the point where the tacks are usually employed. The ends 5are extended back of the carpet and sprung into position with their ends6 in contact or in engagement, with the under side of the next higheradjacent tread.

The part 4, or that is, What may be (See Fig. 8).

termed the bar, is preferably provided with suitable means forengagement with its tread. In Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, I show severalmethods of securing the bar 4 in position, and preventing transversehorizontal displacement of the same relative the tread. In Figs. 1, 2, 3and 4 the bar 4 is shown with the needle point 7, or that is a pointedlug at each end that will engage or indent the tread 1, as at 8. Theindentation 8 may be formed either by the pressure of the lug or pin 7or the tread may be suitably countersunk before the retainer is placedin position. This style of lug is suitable for use on wooden stairs.

In Fig. 5, the bar, which to prevent confusion, I have designated as 4,may be provided with a foot 7 at each sideof the carpet, which foot ispreferably constructed of rubber, or other equivalent material, so thatthe stair tread l is frictionally engaged. In Fig. 6 the bar 4 isprovided with a blunt lug 7 adapted to fit into a recess 8 in the tread.This construction is particularly suitable for marble, or similarstairs. In Fig. 7 the bar 4 ismade without lugs, a lug or pin 9 beingsecured to the tread on each side of the carpet. This lug or pin 9 maybe of any suitable form, that shown being a screw provided with asuitable head. Any of these forms may be employed, the same dependingupon the nature of the stairway and the preference of the user of thedevice. If the retainer is made of considerable stiffness, the frictionof the carpet upon the stair tread will, insome cases, make the use oflugs, or their equivalents, on the bar or stair, unnecessary. This isparticularly true where a pad is used under the carpet, whichsubstantially wedges the device in place. In this case, if desired, thepad 30 may be secured to the step by adhesive or other fasteners.Inasmuchas there is no transverse strain upon the part of the retainerin engagement with the higher tread, it is unnecessary to provide anyengaging 'means at that point. However, it should be understood that theends 6, or their equivalents, may be provided with lugs similar to thoseshown in any of the Figs. 4, 5, 6 or 7, which may directly orfrictionally engage the tread. I

A slightly different construction is shown in Figs. 9 and 10, in which10 represents a bar provided with ends 12 adapted to engage the tread at13, and with resilient ends 14, to which maybe secured parts'or bars 15for engagement with the next higher tread. As shown, these bars' 15 are,pivotallysecured at 16 to the parts 14. In use this device serves thesame purpose as that. previously described, and may be arrangedforengagement with the treads in any of the ways previously shownor'described.

In Figs. 11 and 12 the retainer 17 is extended as at 18, 19, forengagement with the next higher tread. This device is substantially thesame as that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. except that it engages with thehigher tread at each side of the carpet instead of in back.

In Fig. 13 I show a portion of a bar, which may be similar to any ofthose previously described, as regards form and contact with the treads.In this case, however,

the bar 20 is shown provided with needle points, or pointed lugs 22,which are adapted to pierce the carpet or the carpet and pad. The bar isshown provided with lugs 21, which, as mentioned, maybe similar to anyof those previously described.

In Fig. 14, an additional element, namely, an angle bar 23, is shown.The retainer shown is similar to that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, butmay, however, be similar to either of those shown in Figs. 9 and 11, ortheir equivalent. While the angle 23 is not shown with lugs or pins forengaging the carpet, it may be provided with pins substantially similarto those shown in Fig. 13 on the bar 20.

In Fig. 15 anangle bar 24, substantially similar to that beforedescribed, is shown, in this case, however, a slightly different form ofretainer or resilient bar is shown. In this case the bar 25 engages theupper tread, while its ends 26 and shoulder 27 engage the lower tread,the same either passing in front of or through the bar 24, which retainsthe carpet in position.

It will be seen that any of the retainers described may be very readilypositioned or removed in laying or taking up the carpet, and by theiruse the stairs are not-defaced or injured in any way. The retainersarenot unsightly and may be made as attractive in finishing or byornamentation as preferred or desired.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that variousimmaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing fromthe spirit of my invention, hence I do not wish to be understood aslimiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement orcombination of parts herein shown and described, or vusesmentioned.

What I claim as new'and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Adevice of thekind describechcomprising a bar arranged at the juncture ofthe tread and riser, engaging means between said bar and the stairtreadyand resilient means at each end cooperating with the next highertread for resiliently maintaining said bar in operative relation to saidfirst mentioned tread.

2. In a device of the kind described,in combination 'with a bar,provided with means at each end for engagement with a stair tread, andwith means at each end cooperating with an adjacent tread for re- Intestimony whereof, I have hereunto siliently maintaining said bar inengagea signed my name in the presence of two sub- 0 mentivith saidfirst nliientiieined tie-ad. scribing witnesses.

3. device 0ft e inc escri ed, consisting of a bar provided with a lug ateach end DANIEL SHIEK' with a resiliently extending part formed in-Witnesses: tegraliy with the bar on each end on the side ROY W. HILL,opposite said 111g. JOHN W. HLLL.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

